The Curse of the Soul Eater
by Arcaner
Summary: Years after the Liberation Army overthrew the corrupt Empire, Tir McDohl is finding that the Soul Eater is far more cursed then he had previously thought. Oneshot for now.


The Curse of the Soul Eater

_**Legend**_

_**Italics shows character thoughts**_

**Word shows Date, time, and location**

_**-Word- Shows Noises, or actions such as sighing**_

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How long had it been? Eight, nine, ten years? He couldn't remember anymore, time just seemed to blur together into one big continuous thing and the only way he could tell that time hadn't stopped was by the setting and rising of the sun each day and night.

Speaking of night and day, it was getting late, or so the setting sun told him. He would need to find a place to sleep for the night, or else he'd get lost and never get into town by tomorrow afternoon. Even though he didn't age anymore, he still felt hungry and tired….it was the only part of him that felt human anymore.

He found a nice clear opening and laid down on the grass, laying his stick down at his side, and watched the sun make its last stand on the horizon. It was fall he believed, or so he could gather from the few trees here and there with a beautiful array of green, gold, brown, red, and yellow leaves.

It was night now and the first stars were appearing in the sky, shining like a rune just before use. He took another deep breath and closed his eyes once more.

And then it was morning. His eyes opened and instantly he felt the difference, the pain. He reached over with his left hand and gripped his right. It was hurting again! He sat up and looked at his twitching hand, it was hungry…it was always hungry.

He pulled the glove off and looked at it, a rune of great and devastating power. The rune that governed the laws of life and death itself, a cursed rune, the Soul Eater. It was truly a curse on all those that bore it. He thought back to when he had first taken it from his best friend Ted, how long it seemed ago!

Odessa, Gremio who later returned to him, his father, and Ted! Because of this rune, because he carried it and fought a war against a corrupt empire they all lost their lives. Oh, but only if he had known the real truth of the rune!

A year after the Gate Rune war had ended and he and Gremio had left to protect the Soul Eater did he begin to understand the reality of the rune and its 'curse'. At first he had thought he understood everything there was to know about the rune, but he was wrong. The pain came and it racked his body, small and first and then more and more consuming until he could barely walk.

And then, it happened, a group of thugs attacked him and Gremio. Gremio even told them who he was but they didn't care or believe him. There was no way that Tir McDohl, hero and leader of the Liberation Army would be out here in the middle of no where.

The fight ensued and despite Tir not wanting to kill the men he always struck them a little too hard, a little higher or lower then he meant too. All who challenged Tir died and it was after the fight that Tir realized something…the pain was gone.

After a few more incidents like this did he realize the truth. Any one killed by Tir had their soul devoured by the Soul Eater and only be feeding it did it stop sending pain up Tir's arm. It was then that he truly understood why it was called 'cursed' and the 'Soul Eater'.

But it was at that time that he realized a horrible and ugly truth…Odessa, Ted, his father Teo, everyone that had died around him was trapped in this rune, to be condemned to whatever hell existed in this True Rune of Life and Death.

Then everything began to add up, the war feed the rune which was why it had never bothered him before hand, there was always people dying around. So when Tir joined the Dunan Unification War he couldn't help but feel a small tinge of relief that his right hand would be sedated at least for a time, he felt horrible for that feeling…but it was better than the pain.

After the Dunan Unification war Tir took in on himself to send Gremio back to Toran. He didn't want to risk something happening, who knew what would happen to him if the Rune became desperate for souls. Tir could already feel it, the will of the Soul Eater, telling him to take the life of a thief, thug, or just a person who decided to try and steal his things while he slept in the local inn. It wanted it, to be fed a fresh soul, and constantly Tir had to fight against it.

And now it was hungry once more. His right hand was completely numb and a slow throbbing pain was rising up his arm and would soon devour him if he didn't feed the beast in this rune.

"No…I won't give in to you." Tir spoke, standing on his feet. He picked up his fighting stick and looked towards the rising sun.

"Ted asked me to protect this rune…and I won't let him down."

The man, while holding his right hand, continued on his war towards the rising sun. How long would he guard this rune? He didn't know but Ted did it for three hundred years…the least he could do was carry it for at least that long.

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N/A: So this is my OneShot of Tir and the Cursed Rune. Right now, its a one shot, and I think it seems to be more suited as one. I suppose I could make it a collection of stories of Tir after the Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars, but I don't know if that would be interesting enough, and going into SIII is a stretch too, since having an extra True Rune in there could really tip the balance of things.

But for now, its a oneshot, if anyone thinks I should do anything else with this, feel free to tell me.I love ideas.

So, enjoy and review please. PS: Sorry about the typos, I'm horrid at finding my own, I do my best though.

-Arc.


End file.
